Ohio Democrats join locals in mourning John Abdalla

STEUBENVILLE -- Democrats running for state or federal office in Ohio knew the road to Columbus or Washington went through Abdalla's Steakhouse.

John Abdalla, owner of the bar and restaurant in Stratton and longtime head of the Jefferson County Democratic Party, died Monday at the age of 81.

Democrats on all levels knew the benefit of Abdalla's backing, calling him a true family man and a loyal, good friend.

Abdalla became a member of the county board of elections in February 1998. He was elected chairman of the county Democratic Party in 2000.

He was mayor of Stratton, a retired Boilermaker working out of Local 154 and previously served on the county board of health and the JB Green Team, the solid waste management board for Jefferson and Belmont counties.

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, said Abdalla will be missed.

"Public servants like John Abdalla are far and few between," Brown said.

"As mayor, the people of Stratton had no greater champion than John. As chairman of the Jefferson County Democratic Party, he helped elect Democrats not only to local offices but at the state and federal level, too. Whether I was running for secretary of state or senator, no campaign trip through Jefferson County was complete without checking in with John. And, despite giving so much back to his community, John always made sure his family came first. Connie (Brown's wife) and I are thinking of them today as we mourn the loss of one of Ohio's most dedicated public servants and a Jefferson County legend."

Attorney Frank Bruzzese for years served beside Abdalla as the vice chairman of the county Democratic Party and on the county board of elections.

"John Abdalla was a strong man of bold demeanor who earned the confidence and respect of the citizens who benefited from his effort to guide local government. Most importantly, in working with him for 40 years, I never heard him ask for anything for himself. He was always working for other people. He was like a brother to me," Bruzzese said.

Bruzzese noted the county Democrats were scheduled to meet on Tuesday evening and he pushed for the meeting to go forward as a way of honoring Abdalla's service to the party.

Steubenville Mayor Domenick Mucci said Abdalla was an "institution," not only here in the Upper Ohio Valley, but across Ohio and even the country.

"He was truly committed to his family, his faith and his beliefs. There will be a void to fill in Stratton and in the Jefferson County Democratic Party. He was a great individual and an outstanding man. Being a Democrat, we shared a lot of the same beliefs," Mucci said.

Former U.S. Rep. Douglas Applegate said Abdalla was a benefactor of the county Democratic Party, holding it together for years. He added the Applegate and Abdalla families have been friends for years.

Applegate, who now lives in Florida, served as a congressman for 18 years. He recalled seeking the support of party bosses including Hugo Alexander, Bob Price, Pete McKeegan and then Abdalla.

"They were all very helpful," Applegate said.

"He was a very outspoken guy who commanded a lot of attention and respect," the former Steubenville resident added.

Jerry and Eileen Krupinski of Steubenville said Abdalla helped them with their political careers, with Eileen now serving as secretary of the county Democratic Party.

"He touched many lives in Stratton, the county, the district and even around the state," Jerry Krupinski noted.

He said Abdalla was a "tough leader," adding he could remember the old days when Abdalla would refer to state and federal politicians by their first names, such as Howard for Howard Metzenbaum.

Krupinski said a lot of people can thank John Abdalla for getting them state and county jobs, adding patronage was common in the old days.

"There will never be another leader like John. He was from the old school. He always took responsibility for how things turned out," said Krupinski, who served as county commissioner for six years and as state representative for 14 years.

Jerry's wife, Eileen, also served as a state representative.

"He was a Democrat through and through and believed in the Democratic Party and never wavered on it. He did the work more behind the scenes than out front. He was not in it for the glory. He was in it for the work. He believed in the people of Jefferson County, and his goal was to help people. His word was his bond. If he told you something, you could take it to the bank," she said.

Former state Sen. Lou Gentile said Abdalla, in addition to being a great party chairman, was a good friend.

"John cared a lot for his family, his friends and Jefferson County. A lot of candidates for governor and Congress went through Abdalla's tavern. He played a big role in making a lot of people politically successful. Once you earned his support, he was all in. He was very loyal," Gentile said.

Gentile worked with Abdalla during Ted Strickland's run for Congress in 2002.

"It will be a big void for me going forward. I always consulted him on tough issues. He was so committed to his family. He epitomized loyalty. His loss will be felt all over the state," Gentile said.

Strickland, who also is a former Ohio governor, said he first met Abdalla after the lines of Strickland's congressional district were redrawn. Jefferson County was new territory for Strickland.

"I was in Jefferson County trying to introduce myself to people and John quickly endorsed me and convinced others to support me. We became fast friends. He was such a good person who deeply cared for his community. He was committed to the Democratic Party, and he helped me personally," Strickland said.

He added he will always remember Abdalla standing over a hot grill at the restaurant that sits along state Route 7 in Stratton, cooking a steak, and then coming over to the table to make sure everything was OK.

"I would occasionally stop at the tavern to say hello. He was always so wonderful to me," he said.

Strickland, when he was running for governor, said Abdalla did everything within his power to gain influence in Jefferson County and with party leaders in other counties.

"He was certainly out there beating the drum for me."

Abdalla's brother, Fred, Jefferson County's sheriff since 1985, said their mother died when he was 10 years old and then their father died when he was 14 years old. John was 22 years old when their father died, and he stepped up to raise his siblings.

"He carried the torch. To the end, he was like my dad. He just wanted to help people," the sheriff said.

Visitation will be from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. today at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 852 Main St., Wintersville, where Funeral Liturgy with Mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, with interment following at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Steubenville.

(Law can be contacted at mlaw@heraldstaronline.com.)